Bowling pin and method of producing the same



June 11, 1963 A. M. BEAN ETAL 3,

BOWLING PIN AND METHOD OF/PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Jan. 9, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lll FIG-5 INVENTORS per/402 M Beau Mame/:6 F C5776 ATTORNEY 5 June 11, 1963 A. M. BEAN ET AL 3,093,171

BOWLING PIN AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Jan. 9, 1961 FIG -IO 2 SheetsSheet 2 IN VEN TOR Aer/402 M 55m! MHUE/c F Germ BYMM,%YMM

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,093,171 BOWLING PIN AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Arthur M. Bean and Maurice F. Cetta, Walton, N.Y., as-

signors to Bean Brothers Inc., Walton, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 81,615 3 Claims. (Cl. 144-310) The present invention relates to a method of producing bowling pins. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for producing bowling pins using salvable portions cut from discarded bowling pins.

In prior art methods wherein salvable portions of discarded bowling pins have been used, such as those shown in Francar, No. 2,634,774, dated April 15, 1953; and Francar, No. 2,717,617, dated September 13, 1955; substantially the whole used bowling pin forms a part of the new construction.

Conversely, in the present invention, a completely new core is first constructed and then only relatively small portions are cut from the used bowling pin and applied to the core. The whole assembly is then turned to a desired dimension. I

An object of the invention is a method of producing bowling pins incorporating salvable portions cut from discarded bowling pins.

A further object of the invention is a simple and economical method of producing bowling pins.

Other objects and advantages will become readily apparent when referring to the following description, when taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation illustrating a used bowling pin showing in dotted lines the portions cut therefrom and used in the new construction;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a discarded or used bowling pin showing in dotted lines the three portions to be cut therefrom and used to construct a new bowling pin;

FIGURE 3 illustrates one of the pieces which has been removed from a used bowling pin;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation illustrating the laminated construction of the core;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation illustrating two portions such as that shown in FIGURE 2 applied to two sides of the laminated core;

FIGURE 6 is a top view of the partially constructed pin of FIGURE 5, showing pieces cut from a used bowling pin adhesively secured to a laminated core. Also shown in FIGURE 6 are additional portions removed from a used bowling pin which are applied to the remaining two sides of the laminated core;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation showing the completed pin as constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is a modified form of construction wherein the core is constructed somewhat differently and the portions shown in FIGURE 2 are applied to only two sides of the core;

FIGURE 9 is a front elevation illustrating the position of the portion cut from a used bowling pin applied to the modified core;

FIGURE 10 illustrates the completed pin as formed in accordance with the modified construction; and

FIGURE 11 illustrates a further modification wherein a laminated block as shown in FIGURE 4 is rough turned to the general configuration of a bowling pin, whereby four planar surfaces are left on the thick dimension.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown a used bowling pin 10 and in dotted lines portions 12 and 14 which are cut therefrom and form part of the blank from which a new pin is turned.

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Shown in FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a discarded bowling pin 10 from which portions are removed from three sides as shown by 12, 14 and 26.

In FIGURE 3 there is shown one of the portions 12 after having been severed from the used pin 10. As clearly shown the portion cut from the discarded pin belly is generally prolate spheroidal segmental, being somewhat less than a hemi-prolate spheroid or half football. The severed pieces 12, 14 are applied to a laminated core 16 such as that shown in FIGURE 4.

As illustrated the core 16 is formed of a plurality of laminations 18, 20, 22 and 24 having been adhesively secured together forming a rectangular block having a square cross-sectional dimension.

The adhesive used to join the strips together forming a laminated block is of a type in accordance with the standards and specifications set forth by the American Bowling Congress. The glue is cured during an application of pressure to the block of from 250 800 pounds per square inch at a temperature ranging from to F., and a relative humidity of approximately 40%. The time required to cure the adhesive is approximately 20- 45 minutes. The above procedural steps are shown mere- 1y by way of example, in that other suitable arrangements of time, humidity, temperature and pressure could conceivably be used.

The portions 12 and 14 are adhesively secured to the face portions of the exterior laminas 18 and 24 as shown in FIGURE 5. Two similar pieces 26 and 28 are secured adhesively to the other two sides of the core. One of these pieces 26 is cut from the same pin as pieces 12 and 14, the other piece 28 is cut from another discarded pin.

As shown in FIGURE 6, the end portions 30 and 32 may be removed from piece 28 and end portions 34 and 36 may be removed from the piece 26 in order that they may be placed in abutting relation to the laminated core 16 and fitted between the overhanding portions of pieces 12 and 14. An alternative method consists of trimming portions 38 and 40 from the piece 14 and end portions 42 and 44 of the piece 12 to allow the pieces 26 and 28 to be glued to the laminated core 16.

The assembled block is then placed in a lathe and turned to the desired contour and dimension, producing a pin as shown in FIGURE 7.

The hold nob of wood 46 on the head of the pin is removed by sawing and the use of a contour cutting tool.

A slightly modified form of construction for produc ing bowling pins using portions cut from discarded pins is shown in FIGURE 8. In this construction, the core 48 is formed from a plurality of strips 50, 52 and 54 adhesively secured together in the same manner as core 16. However, when laminated, the core formed has a substantially greater width than thickness whereby not only the general configuration of the block is rectangular but also the block is rectangular in cross-section. In this construction only two pieces removed from a discarded pin are used. One piece 56 is adhesively secured to the face of outer lamina 50 and the other piece 58 is adhesively secured to the lamina 54. The relative position of one of the adhesively secured pieces 56 is shown on the face of lamina 50 in FIGURE 9.

The block thus formed is turned to the desired dimension in a lathe to the configuration as shown in FIGURE 10. The holding nob 60 shown in dotted lines if removed in the same manner as the nob described in FIG- URE 7.

A further modification is shown in FIGURE 10. A laminated core 62 identical to the core 16 shown in FIG- URE 4 is first constructed by laminating strips 64, 66 and 68 and 70 together to form the block. When the block has been formed, it is rough turned to the general configuration of a bowling pin leaving four planar sur faces on the thick dimension, three of these are shown as 72, 74 and 76. The fourth planar surface is identical and on the opposite side of the pin from the planar surface 74. Four pieces which have been removed from used bowling pins are then applied to the planar surfaces and trimmed. Three of these pieces are shown 78, 80 and 82 in dotted lines, the fourth is adhesively secured to the opposite side of the pin from piece 80. The pin is then finish turned to the desired dimension and the hold nob portion 84 is removed in the same manner as that previously described in the constructions shown in FIGURES 7 and 10.

While the invention has been described in the preferred embodiments, it will become apparent to those skilled in the art that many other modifications and variations are possible. However, such variations and modifications are considered to be within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing a bowling pin comprising removing a plurality of generally prolate spheroidal segmental portions from the belly of at least one discarded bowling pin by passing a plurality of circumferentially spaced, substantially vertical cuts through said discarded bowling pin at distances from the longitudinal axis thereof greater than the minor radius of the neck portion of said discarded bowling pin; adhesively joining a plurality of rectangular Wooden strips to one another as to form a laminated block having a square cross section and four rectangular faces, adhesively joining one of said generally prolate spheroidal segmental portions to each of said rectangular faces, and turning the joined block and portions down to substantially the size and shape of a standard bowling pin.

2. A method for producing a bowling pin as set forth in claim 1 additionally comprising the step of rough turn ing said laminated block to the general configuration of a bowling pin but leaving a flat portion at the belly area of each rectangular face before adhesively joining the discarded bowling pin portions thereto.

3. A method for producing a bowling pin as set forth in claim 1 wherein the generally prolate spheroidal segmental portions are each of such width that substantially the entire circumference of the belly of the discarded bowling pin is consumed by removing less than four of said portions therefrom whereby at least one of the four portions must be removed from a second discarded bowling pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 11,088,315 Willson Feb. 24, 1914 1,214,126 Boldt Jan. 30, 1917 2,629,596 Luedtke Feb. 24, 1953 2,634,774 Francar Apr. 14, 1953 2,654,606 Stearns et al. Oct. 6, 1953 2,717,617 Francar Sept. 13, 1955 2,721,590 Giese Oct. 25, 1955 2,823,714 Francar Feb. 18, 1958 2,983,294 Gerlikovski May 9, 1961 

1. A METHOD FOR PRODUCING A BOWLING PIN COMPRISING REMOVING A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY PROLATE SPHEROIDIAL SEGMENTAL PORTIONS FROM THE BELLY OF AT LEAST ONE DISCARDED BOWLING PIN BY PASSING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED, SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL CUTS THROUGH SAID DISCARDED BOWLING PIN AT DISTANCES FROM THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF GREATER THAN THE MINOR RADIUS OF THE NECK PORTION OF SAID DICARDED BOWLING PIN; ADHESIVELY JOINING A PLURALITY OF RECTANGULAR WOODEN STRIPS TO ONE ANOTHER AS TO FORM A LAMINATED BLOCK HAVING A SQUARE CROSS SECTION AND FOUR RECTANGULAR FACES, ADHESIVELY JOINING ONE OF SAID GENERALLY PROLATE SPHEROIDAL SEGMENTAL PORTIONS TO EACH FO SAID RECTANGULAR FACES, AND TURNING THE JOINED BLOCK AND PORTIONS DOWN TO SUBSTANTIALLY THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF A STANDARD BOWLING PIN. 